Overview
- A bench of Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash said instant enrolment at 18 would overwhelm verification and “open the floodgates.”
- The court directed the Electoral Registration Officer to rule on Rupika Singh’s application within six weeks, with ECI counsel Ashutosh Kumbakoni agreeing to a review.
- The judges distinguished the freedom to vote at 18 from the right to vote that arises only when one’s name appears on a revised electoral roll.
- Officials confirmed the October 2024 assembly roll will be used for local body polls, making Singh ineligible for the pending BMC elections this year.
- Coverage noted a reported July 1, 2025 enrolment cut-off for local polls and documented that Singh’s online and offline applications were not accepted.